I have decided to select blade runner for my research assignment. The plot revolves around Rick Deckard a retired Los Angeles police officer who is forced to destroy 4 rogue bioengineered sentients known as replicants made to seem every part human. A fifth replicants is discovered when Deckard is investigating interrogation methods at the corporation where the other 4 were manufactured. Rachel is special in that it is unaware of itself as a replicant and so tries to prove its humanity. Deckard hunts down the first of the replicants and is soon informed that Rachel has gone missing adding her to the list of targets. When Deckard notices Rachel in a crowd he is attacked by another of the replicants on his list, but is saved by Rachel. This prompts Deckard to vow not to hunt Rachel. Deckard then confronts the last two targets, but is nearly defeated by his final foe. By chance Deckard is spared as the final replicant is defective and dies as a result. Soon after Deckard runs off with Rachel as she is still being hunted.
The idea of killing without sound reasoning of sentient and intelligent life is the main dystopian theme. Even though the replicants are not entirely human they are nearly indistinguishable, and portray convincing emotional responses as well as similar goals as ourselves and all life for that matter. The ability to generate such indistinguishable beings is another idea that firmly places this work as a dystopia. Potential theoretical lenses for this text could be psychological, and marxist. As for research I am still looking into sources that would fit my perception of the text to use with my paper.
Chris,
ReplyDeleteYou write, "Rachel is special in that it is unaware of itself as a replicant and so tries to prove its humanity." Is the 'it' purposeful here? As in, she has a name but is appropriately referred to as "it" as well.
This is interesting: "The idea of killing without sound reasoning of sentient and intelligent life is the main dystopian theme." As written, though, it suggests the "killer" would lack sound reasoning, which makes sense, but also suggests, structure-wise that the killing in question would happen "without" reassurance of sentience (thus suggesting that killing would occur because of no reasonable assurance that the target/victim actually HAS any intelligence. I think you mean that such a killer DOES have knowledge that targets/victims DO have sentience and intelligence. I'm trying to be really thorough here but may be more confusing than not, so let' simplify: reword slightly in a thesis statement.)
This is very clear: "The ability to generate such indistinguishable beings is another idea that firmly places this work as a dystopia."
***I posted a link to an article that deals with Blade Runner. This might be useful to you if you want to have a look.
http://www.utopiaanddystopia.com/dystopia/blade-runner-philosophy/
ReplyDeleteThis, too, could be promising, Who knows? Take a look.